α-Lipoic acid (α-LA) inhibits the transcriptional activity of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) via SUMOylation.

Osteoarthritis (OA), one of the most common joint disorders, is one of the leading causes of disability among the elderly. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, which is synthesized locally by synovial cells and chondrocytes, have been shown to play a critical role in sustaining cartilage damage in arthritis by creating an imbalance between cartilage degradation and the repair process. Alpha-lipoic acid (α-LA), which is synthesized in animal and plant tissues, has demonstrated its protective effects in a variety of diseases. However, whether or not LA has a protective effect in OA is still unknown. In this study, we found that α-LA inhibits the IL-1β-induced increase in matrix metallopeptidase 3 (MMP-3) and matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP-13) expression and activity. Our data also demonstrate that interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) participates in the induction of MMP-3 and MMP-13. However, α-LA treatment did not change IRF-1 levels. Importantly, we found that α-LA increases SUMOylation of IRF-1, which attenuates IRF-1's transcriptional activity. Finally, we found that α-LA treatment leads to an increase in SUMO-1, but not in SUMO-2 or SUMO-3. Taken together, this study shows that α-LA exerts anti-inflammatory effects in an IL-1β-stimulated chondrocyte model, thereby suggesting a potential protective effect of α-LA in OA.